Rafael Nadal thrashes Thiem in straight sets to reach 10th French Open Final
Rafael Nadal qualified for his 10th French Open final, having achieved the feat without dropping a set in six matches.
The nine-time champion beat sixth-seeded Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 in their semifinal.
Nadal, who has won all nine finals he has played in Paris, will take on 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka on Sunday.
The 31-year-old Spaniard, back to his best after his Roland Garros reign suffered a two-year hiatus, brushed aside the sixth seed with a daunting show of force.
Thiem had reached the semi-final without dropping a set and had trounced defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals, but after starting brightly in the early evening sunshine his challenge disappeared into the encroaching shadows.
Nadal has dropped only 29 games to reach the final – surpassing his previous best of 35 in 2012.
Waiting for him will be Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka who outlasted world number one Andy Murray in an epic five-setter.
With the win, Nadal becomes just the third man in history to reach 10 finals at one Grand Slam event, after Bill Tilden (US Open) and Roger Federer (Wimbledon).
